Resources and support for schools, colleges and other professionals to help children and young people's emotional wellbeing

Just Talk guidance for schools, colleges and other professionals

Schools and Colleges Toolkit 2023-24 (PDF 3.36mb)
Mental health awareness lesson plans, discussion guides and other guidance
Top tips for parents leaflet (PDF, 45mb) – how to encourage their child to talk to them about their mental health.
Anti-bullying guidance and other resources
Posters for printing and display (PDF 24Mb)

Just Talk Week

Check out the "Back to basics" resources from Just Talk Week 2023 including useful guidance for young people and adults about what to do if a young person tells you they're NOT ok.

Check out the "Look Beneath the Surface" resources from Just Talk Week 2022

These resources can be used all year round.

The Power of Small poetry competition 2024

Thank you to everyone who submitted their entries for this year's competition, the creativity and imagination demonstrated by Hertfordshire's young people was incredible.

Check out the shortlisted entries below:

Digital booklet

Printable booklet

Gift of Kindness poetry competition 2022

Just Talk received so many amazing entries - thanks to everyone who wrote a poem and to all the schools/colleges who submitted their winning entries.

Read the 20 shortlisted poems here.

Five Ways to Wellbeing resources, assets and e-learning

Read about our Five Ways to Wellbeing here.

Children and Young People's Mental Health Services (CYPMHS)

Transformation Plan for Hertfordshire 2023/24 (PPTX 1.87MB)

Other self help tools and useful websites and information to help young people

Hertfordshire's mental health support services - at a glance: Some of the services that can help, without a professional referral
Children and young people's mental health services (CYPMHS) system directory
Guidance for if a child/young person is avoiding school or college due to anxiety

If you're a professional working with children and young people in Hertfordshire and you'd like to know more about the services to support their emotional and mental wellbeing, subscribe to the monthly CYPMHS newletter by emailing: JustTalk@hertfordshire.gov.uk

As well as the fantastic information from our partner organisations, we'd recommend taking a look at these:

Healthy Young Minds in Herts – Hertfordshire mental health information for young people, parents and professionals
Classroom Wellbeing Toolkit from the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families - A toolkit for secondary school staff , sharing practical steps to support mental health through every day interactions with students

My Teen brain professional pages – information to help support a teen through some of the most important years of their life.
Neurodiversity Support Hub information

A hub to support parents, carers and professionals with signposting and guidance around Special Educational Needs and mental health.

This includes a helpline, open Monday to Friday from 9am to 1pm:

01727 833963

Self-care resources from Public Health England, with activities for Year 6 and KS3 and KS4

The Sleep Factor lesson plans & PowerPoints

The Sleep Factor lesson plans and powerpoints

KS2 lesson plan on the importance of quality sleep

KS3 and KS4 lesson plan on the importance of quality sleep

Promoting positive body image guidance

Help young people feel positive about their body: Useful tips and advice for managing body image and mental health from Just Talk's Real Bodies in Herts campaign

Take a look at the Body Image guidance and quality assured resources for professionals in schools, to promote positive body image in ALL pupils.
Body Image and social media guidance: Communications guidance to support positive body image in young people.

Help for under 18s in the UK to confidentially report sexual images and videos of themselves and remove them from the internet at:Report Remove | Childline

Webinars

Body Positivity and Preventing eating disorders in children and young people (PPT 8.8kb) (from live webinar 28 June 2021)

Body Image in children and young people (PPT 29.6kb) (from live webinar 28 June 2021)

Please view the powerpoint documents in Slideshow format, to enable the voiceover format to play.

What parents and carers and children and young people are telling us

Hertfordshire Young People’s Health and Wellbeing Surveys
Access results from previous surveys, including 2022 and 2021, here

2021 results webinar

2020 results Infographic

Find out about the 2023 survey here

Parents Carers Survey 2021

Results Infographic

Communications guidance and materials

Follow us on social media

Find out how to join the Just Talk professional network

If you're an organisation in Hertfordshire and you'd like to get involved in the Just Talk project, which has a network of more than 35 professional partners, drop us a line at: JustTalk@hertfordshire.gov.uk.